FAQ eng

General

What is FOnline and FOnline: The Life After?

FOnline — is a client-server engine that allows to create Fallout 1 and 2 online mods. The engine also supports graphics and critters from Fallout Tactics, Arkanum, Van Buren (yes, 3D). Due to flexibility of the engine it is even possible to get rid of SPECIAL system and create a completely different game.

FOnline: The Life After was the first public FOnline server that was included in FOnline SDK. It was known as just "FOnline" then, but later with the decision to release SDK and allow other people to make games with FOnline engine it was renamed to FOnline: The Life After. It was initially created as an MMO-like game (though having plot/ending), but then the team turned to making it a cooperative game for small groups of players or solo (the engine also supports single player mode). The life after public server is no longer available. Both The Life After and TLAMK2 are a Fallout 2 modification, the game takes place 4 years after the destruction of Enclave by Chosen One.

How is TLAmk2 different from other FOnline servers?

1. TLAmk2 is a progressive server. The server is developed with full support from original TLA developers.

2. Unlike many other teams, we try to improve gameplay not with particular fixes (like a perk negating critical attacks), but with complex measures, from complete rewriting of combat formulas to introducing new quests and locations.

3. At the same time we're not trying to create something from scratch (which in 99% of cases doesn't go beyond forum announcements). We have a definite goal, to improve the playability of FOnline: The Life After and a list of changes through which we hope to achieve it. Setting realistic goals is the first step to achieving something.

What is the goal of the project?

1. Providing online ground for Fallout (1 и 2) fans, where they can once again have an experience similar to te one they had playing the original games, and also socialize and kill each other.

2. Rebirth FOnline as a massive online game.

Is it free?

Yes, the game is free and the project is completely non-commercial. We couldn't make money from it even if we wanted (which we don't):Fallout and all associated trademarks belongs to Bethesda Softworks,(Interplay has the rights for Fallout MMO development, though); Officially FOnline: TLA mk2 is a free online Fallout 2 modification.

It's not "free 2 play", i.e. there is no gaining any in-game benefits for money. All the players are absolutely equal in their abilities.

You can make a donation to support the server (which is quite expensive to run). But don't expect to gain anything besides our gratitude. We provide the server for everyone free of charge, and we'd expect the same level of unselfishness from you.

Do you need help in development?

Yes, we always need help. Constructing a game world is always very time-consuming, and so far it's far from complete. We believe that even after the game is finished, regular updates are a must to keep the game interesting. If you're talented, hard-working and ready to sacrifice a lot of your time - welcome on board. If not - sorry. Better try yourself in the game. Quality gaming and role-play is also a great help for the developers as it draws new players.

How long are you planning to support this server?

As long as we have the ability to do so. It's possible that the development team will change over time — so we're ready to cooperate with people willing to take part in the development (see above).

Game

What is the goal of the game?

Unlike original TLA, TLA mk2 doen't have a particular goal or plot. The goal is exploring the world, socializing with other players and whatever goal you might set for yourself.

Before playing ask yourself: "What do I want from the world of Fonline?" Create your own cult, role-play as Brotherhood of Steel, hold the first wasteland Olympic games, make a million and become a power broker, gather an organization capable of controlling the whole area — these are some of the things you could do in the game. If you can't come up with a goal you may join people who already got one.

How do get my bearings?

On starting location try to use it to the max: talk to all NPCs, try to complete as many quests as possible.

After you find your way to the global map, travel to nearest towns: Den, Klamath, Arroyo, Redding. They have a lot of quests for low level characters that have no or low requirements. At this stage don't try to accumulate equipment and don't carry large sums of money: better put your belongings in the bank. At this stage no gear will protect you from high level characters. You also better not try to confront armed NPCs on encounters.

After you gain level 8-10, you can hunt mobs, keep exploring the world and completing quests, or both.

Where can I get some gear?

You can buy basic equipment from traders in the cities for money you make completing quests. You can also get equipment from NPCs killed on random encounters by other NPCs. But remember: they won't be happy seeing you loot their enemies before them.

High level equipment can only be acquired on special locations like military bases (factions only) or PvE farm locations.

There's also a craft system that allows to create different items from garbage.

Are there quests in the game?

Yes, there's a lot of different quest of various complexity (130+ quests). from tasks like "bring me a knife" to real challenges like "investigate the disappearing of a caravan". TLA mk2 preserved FOnline: The Life After quests and added some new, multiplayer oriented ones. As The development of TLA still continues, TLAmk2 will be updated with new quests from there (working on TLAmk2 content is non-stop).

Are there any rules? Can I be banned?

There are no fixed rules, but still use common sense.

All in-game interactions are a part of the game and should not go beyond it. If you're killed, gather some friends and plot revenge. If you don't like other player insulting you (or your mother) — you can kill them. If you can't, you may just add them to ignore list and never see their messages in chat.

We are lenient so side-programs used along with the client. If a player has to use such software, it means the game is lacking in some aspect. Functions of many programs used in the times of FOnline: The Life After that were considered "cheating" are now present in TLA mk2 (health bars, color list, auto-aim, timeouts, etc.). Uses auto-clicker in the most cases is not forbidden. Using exploits and bugs can result in banning not only the character which was using it, but all the player's characters. However informing the developers of an exploit is the least you can do to support the developer team. We give you the game and expect to get at least this in return.

You can get banned for sending erroneous packets to the server when using a bot program (it litters the log with messages), or hindering the administration if they are in game for some technical reason.

I'm killed all the time!

Try to get more experience before getting in touch with other players on neutral grounds. Travel in a party: solo players will always lose to parties in an online game. Remember, you are not chosen one anymore.

Killing is a part of this game, there is no punishment of any kind for it except the one you can come up with.

How do I travel in a party?

Hold down the arrow cursor on a player and call the context menu. There select the icon of an arrow pointing at a person. An arrow will appear above that player. It means you are in their party. Now if this player goes to global map, a window will pop up asking if you'd like to follow them (you must stand close to that player). If you choose to follow, you'll be transferred to the global map and travel as a group. If you need to leave the party when the party leader is not nearby, type ~team_out in chat.

Experience in the party is not distributed. Some quests will require a party to take or complete them. The experience for such quests will be given to all party members.

Where can I store my gear?

Solo players can keep their stuff in "banks" - special vaults present in every town. There's no time limit or possibility to steal your stuff from there. Access to the vault costs $100.

Alternatively, they can store their possessions in their personal shelters. To get such a shelter the player must use a transmitter (can be bought from traders) in a small cave found on several random encounter maps (entrance through a manhole, well, grave, etc.). Items stored on the surface will disappear.

Factions or well-off players can buy larger and more comfortable bases from NPCs (size and level of comfort increases with the price).

There's also a single GECK city available for construction to the first player who can get a GECK.

What happens when I die?

The game revolves around the "replication" technology invented by hubologists — resurrection, to be concise. After death your character will be revived on one of the replication stations with their full memory, and you can keep on playing.

The catch is that hubologists take a fee for replicating you, the cost of which increases as you level up. If you do not pay for your replication, your character will be cloned with lowered characteristics (they are restored after a while). Those who do pay for their replication are reborn with full characteristics on comfortable stations where you can buy some gear and even ask for a lift to nearest town.

There is no permanent death in the game.

What will happen to my belongings after death?

They will remain at your corpse at the place of your death. If it's in the city, someone will probably pick them up. If it's on an encounter, they will be lost, except for some things like a power armor or GECK, in this case the location will be marked on global map. But it will be visible to everyone. There will never be any kind of mechanics that would allow you to keep posessions after death. Characters with high charisma/speech skill can wheedle some equipment form hubologists on the replication station.

I started the game in some slaver camp, how do I get out of here?

To leave the location you have to be level 5 or higher. The quickest way to gain it is complete quests. To find out how to get out of there, ask around the NPCs.

I'm an experienced player, do I still have to go through the starting location?

Yes. Like the Temple of Trials in Fallout 2, starting location is oblifatory for everyone.

Technical information

Do I have to own a Fallout 2 copy to play?

No. You will only need the graphical resources of Fallout 2, packed into an archive. You can download this archive and the game client in this thread.

How do I disable health bars/take a screenshot/enable player names/etc.

Press F1 and read the complete list of hotkeys.

Nothing works, I'm in distress!

1. Make sure you've downloaded the client from one of the links in this thread.

2. Make sure you have fallout.dat in your client root folder.

3. Run updater.exe and press check to update your client.

4. Set the interface to default in ConfiguratorMK2.

If nothing helps, post your problem in "troubleshooting" thread on the forums with detailed description. Attach fonline.log and crash dump file (CrashDump_FOnline_***.txt) if there is one.

Note: if you're running fonline for the first time, it will download cash, which may take some time depending on your connection. So a blank screen on first run is normal, just wait a little. Same will happen after every server update.